Compassion
by DecoyDream
Summary: Compassion was not something that came easily to him but a small gesture of kindness towards another reminds Tom that it's not necessarily a bad thing for those who deserve it. TR/OC. One shot. Reviews are appreciated!


_**Compassion**_

Tom wasn't quite sure why he had done it. He could have easily passed the bed, walking to straight to the Hospital Wings' matron instead of pausing and peaking in through the closed curtains. But something in him told his feet to slow down, to wonder about who was the only occupant in the Hospital Wing when the rest of the school were busy watching and playing the Ravenclaw versus Slytherin Quidditch match or enjoying the rare sunshine outside.

And so he obeyed that feeling, slowing his gait and parting the curtain just enough for him to see through into the small space. A girl was lying beneath the starched white sheets, her pallor very much similar in colour. Her arms were lying neatly by her side, her straight black hair splayed neatly on her pillow. If it wasn't for the steady rise and fall of her chest, Tom would have thought she was a corpse.

Seeing that she were in a deep slumber, Tom quietly edged further in, slipping completely from any strangers view. He regarded the girl in front of him, coming to the conclusion that he did know who she was. She was a Hufflepuff, and judging from his faint recollections of seeing her in Potions, a fellow 7th year student. Her name was Edith Sanhallows, a pureblood but one who lacked in riches and social standing. He remembered hearing in his 3rd year that both her parents had died when a curse that had tried breaking backfired terribly. They had left her with nothing, their will detailing that she can only receive her inherited wealth the day she turned 17.

Other than her lack of wealth, her reputation was further dampened by her awkward demeanour and lack of talent in several subjects at school. Casting a critical eye over her, Tom determined that she wasn't exactly pretty or beautiful either. She had blemishes, reddish marks marring her skin from her earlier teenage years that had not faded away. Even though she was covered, he knew that her physique was not particularly slim but not quite overweight either. Tom supposed that if he were to be honest with himself, her redeeming feature would be her heart. Unlike himself, she strove to be kind to others when they were not kind to her in return. Even though it were surely a weakness, Tom couldn't help but respect her for it. However, the respect was quickly wiped away when he thought about her laying sick in the bed. Her bed side tables were devoid of any cards, candy or flowers, nothing there to suggest that anyone ever visited her. Tom decided that in the end, her kindness was wasted if no one even cared or noticed if she died. Wasn't it one's purpose to make a lasting impression on the world?

Edith stirred in her sleep, frowning subconsciously as she flipped onto her side. Realising that it was perhaps his time to leave, Tom quickly waved his wand with a flourish towards her empty bedside table. A vase full of beautiful purple tulips appeared, a small white card standing in front of it. Quickly stepping back behind the curtain, Tom watched as Edith blearily began to open her eyes. She looked puzzled for a moment, her hazel coloured eyes squinting as she registered the time of day and where she was. She brushed a lock of hair away from her face impatiently, freezing when she saw the bouquet next to her. A strange look crossed her face, a mixture of perplexity, curiosity and happiness. She reached her hand out and picked up the card, flicking open the blank cover to read the short script inside.

"Dear Edith, I hope you get well soon."

The words, seemingly impersonal and simple caused an uncharacteristically large grin to appear on the girls face. She picked up one stem of the flower, too immersed in the feeling of the petals beneath her fingertips to see the flicker of a shadow behind the curtain before it disappeared completely.

**Authors Note:** Just had this random idea floating around so i did a quick one shot out of it. Hope you liked it and as always, reviews are greatly appreciated! :)

Love,

DecoyDream x


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